Collab between me and Ayz

[hr][hr]

[center][color=0054a6][h2]Prince Zhou of Liang[/h2][/color]
and[h2][color=FF0000] Mai Mei of Liang [/color][/h2]
[/center]

The Princess of Aciras-Raven-invited the royalty assembled to the dining hall for breakfast. Mai appraised the younger woman from a distance, following Zhou, Liu, and Zheng to the dining hall. With pale skin, eyes in a rather striking shade of blue, and thick dark hair, Mai found Raven to be quite pretty. She liked the other girl's dress too, although it was a little informal for Mai's tastes.

"What in the world were you [i]world[/i] were you thinking earlier?" Mai hissed, coming up behind Zhou and lowering her voice as they walked to the dining hall.

"Just some amusement," Zhou casually strolled down the halls, "And to get some attention. Can't say it wasn't effective."

Mai narrowed her eyes ever-so-slightly. "Attention? You sure as hell got your attention," she muttered. "I'm pretty sure the girl you are betrothed to already thinks you're some uncouth idiot."

"Then again, don't most people? Liu would agree." Zhou pointed to his servant who was nodding in silent agreement, "Besides, its otherwise [i]really[/i] damn boring. They could have at least gotten some entertainment. I could probably have given them some recomendations too..."

"Well, we don't [i]want[/i] most people to think that you're an idiot, though sometimes I'm inclined to think that it's true," Mai replied. "And forget about entertainment. Do you even know which princess it is that you are to marry?"

"No I do not but I am inclinded to think I do. Besides, there's more pressing matter at the moment." Zhou stretched as he admired the halls, could use some touching up if he was really honest, not enough gold.

Mai let out an exasperated breath. "Delia Anne Oblitus-Veren, of the Verenonblith Empire," she answered him. "The only daughter of Emperor Magnus and Empress Aliena. Blonde hair, blue eyes, flawless skin, in the dark orange dress and wearing a necklace with a big pink diamond in it." Mai paused for a moment. "And she was [i]also[/i] the one staring at you while you were messing around earlier."

"Sounds like you're trying to sell me a model to be quite honest." Zhou muttered under his breath before raising it again, "That's lovely I guess, she' still not my greatest concern however."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "The Verenonblith Empire is a formidable ally and an even more formidable enemy. I'd prefer it if you didn't start a war while you were here," she responded. "If the woman you are to marry is not your greatest concern, do tell me-what [i]is[/i] your greatest concern?"

"Liu's mother." Zhou quickly side stepped a punch from his servant, "But really its what every man is concerned about."

Stopping right there in the hallway, he put a hand on his chest and raise the other into the air as if he was about to sing some really [s]bad[/s] opera before proclaiming, "THE FOOD OF COURSE!" After pressing Liu down to the ground to use his back as a stepping stood, Zhou promptly listed off many different types of food he hoped would be present at the grand feast. There was also a far bit of things most people would consider to be inedible like anti-freeze cocktails, but that wasn't Zhou's problem. Then again he might have just been making stuff up to troll his sister, there was still at least some alcohol in his system.

Picking Liu up from the ground (and absent mindfully dodging Liu's kick to his pirate pecker tenders), Zhou returned to normal and continued to walk, "So yeah. I'm just [i]really[/i] hungry. Johnny Walker and street food isn't exactly very filling stuff, especially after a day of digestion you know."

As Zhou made a scene about the food, Mai felt mortification rising up her throat. She inwardly cringed when he began to list specific foods, although she was careful to keep her expression in one of mild shock rather than complete irritation. Zhou stepped off of Liu's back and continued on his way to the dining hall. Mai flashed the rest of the people an apologetic smile before following Zhou. She walked up next to him, doing her best to keep from spewing profanities at him. It would have been extremely unseemly of her to do so in front of the world's most important royalty, and besides, the charming and lady-like princess from Liang that Mai was supposed to be would [i]never[/i] do something like that. 

"Why must you insist on drawing so much attention to yourself?" Mai asked him. "I can't believe you just [i]did[/i] that. I've half a mind to believe that I was hallucinating or something. In fact, I wish I was. That was the rudest thing you could have done, especially at an event like this."

"I don't know [i]xiao mai mai[/i]. Who knows? Maybe you are high on something fierce." Zhou twirled around in front of Mai and bowed with one hand on his chest and the other outstretched, "But shouldn't we be worrying about the feast of which is about to be beset upon us? Or hath thou's exquisite noble grace hath decided upon that consumption of mortal foods is unneeded for a princess."

"Sir, you're being fancy again," Liu spoke up, "I think everyone in company agrees that no one likes your fanciful, Shakespearian voice. Not even you."

"Hmm... Good point Liu. I'll have to clench my buttcheeks harder to make sure not too much of the fancy gets in I think."

Mai gritted her teeth slightly. "First of all, I'm older than you. Secondly, stop with that ridiculous bow and that even more ridiculous voice. When we get to the dining hall, you will [i]not[/i] make a huge scene like you have been doing this entire time, is that clear?" Mai spoke in a soft whisper, though there was a certain edge to her voice. "And can you at least try to remember that I have a future husband in attendance as well? I saw him reach for a weapon outside while you were playing with fire. If you're going to ruin your own marriage, don't ruin mine as well."

"Fear not," Zhou went back to walking, "I will not be playing with fire anymore. Liu's got my lighter."

"Clicky, clicky." Li played with Zhou's lighter from behind him.

"Don't worry though. You're a wonderful enough of a woman that you'll be able to woo anyone with your oriental charms. Niklas should be no different, I'm sure you've got it in the bag. I'm sure I will be seeing him every so often at new year's soon enough I suppose. And that als- OOFM!"

Without realizing it, Zhou had walked straight into a servant who was carrying a large cheese board, now currently flying through the air. Without a second's waste, Liu sprung into action, diving to catch the board and its contents exactly as they were before as if nothing had happened.

"Wha- How-" the servant stumbled on her words, "What just happened? How did you do that?"

"Any Liang butler worth his salt can do that," Liu bowed with the cheese board held above his head, "I'm just one [i]hell[/i] of a butler."

"Thank you Liu," Zhou got up and Liu handed the board to his master who then handed it to the servant, "I apologize for that incident, here is your cheese board back."

Waving the servant off as she rushed into the room next to them, Zhou finally took note of where he was, "Oh. Seems like we're here at the geat hall. Shall we go in Mai?"

Mai felt her mood darken at the mention of Niklas, and said nothing while Zhou made a fool of himself yet again. Zhou had casually assured her that he would be "no different", but Mai had read enough to know that Zhou's assumption was far from the truth. However, there would be no time to brood over that right then. Mai sighed heavily. "Yes, I suppose we better go inside. We're already behind everyone else because of you." Mai located the table meant for the heirs and began to walk toward it, surveying the dining hall. Mai found the castle itself to be elegant in a Western sort of way, meaning that she did not believe it to be as beautiful as the ones from home. Of course, it [i]was[/i] beautiful in its own right, with the pristine white walls on the outside and the opulent corridors-but Mai had never been very fond of Western styles of decor. She much preferred the reds and golds of Liang, and the intricate wood carvings and the like. But she supposed that what she thought about the decor did not really matter. "Alright. Zhou, we are going to sit down and behave like civilized people. You will not eat like a homeless person. You will not take excessive amounts of food. You will not make a mess. You will not do anything, [i]anything[/i] at all that is even the slightest bit improper." Out of the corner of her eye, Mai spotted Niklas-the prince she was betrothed to-approaching red-haired Cara O'Brien. She mentally winced; Mai had not been able to greet Niklas properly earlier because of Zhou and his antics. 

"Alright, got that. I'll behave myself." Zhou panned his eyes around. Nice place he had to admit. Still could use more gold and maybe a bit more crimson like the grand hall back in the Imperial palace but oh well, not like he was in charge nor knew the man who made this place. There was already people bustling about, servants moving around foodstuffs, royalty mulling about or socializing, still unfortunately boring. Zhou wondered where the alcohol was, seemed like this place could also use a dragon. Maybe even a dragon roar assuming he could get his hands on a megaphone...

"Hey, Mai,"Zhou nudged his sister, "Whose the red head over there? If I remember correctly she's from the Celtics. Clara? Mora? Clovis? Cholorplast?"

Mai turned to Zhou. "She is Cara O'Brien, heir to the throne of the Celtic Consortium," Mai clarified. "And before you even think about it, please don't go up to her and call her chloroplast." Mai paused for a second to sit down. "Also, it's quite ironic that you know who I am betrothed to as well as the name of some other princess, yet you didn't know you were to marry Delia Oblitus-Veren," she remarked dryly. "Maybe you should go introduce yourself and apologize for that fire show you put on earlier."

"I'll keep that in mind." Zhou approached the table and sat down in a chair, "Ain't apologizing for the dragon though. Dragon does what dragon wants."

"Well, 'dragon' will not do what he wants [i]here[/i]," Mai hissed, shifting slightly in her seat and subtly moving her long skirt out of the way. She lifted one foot and slammed the wickedly sharp heel of her stiletto down onto Zhou's toes. Maybe that would get him to behave for once.

Zhou suddenly felt something on his foot, something sharp, something fierce, something fiercely sharp. Then he realized it was Mai's shoe knife thing, god damn why did she have a hidden weapons fetish? The pirate prince calmly stand up, his face clearly trying to hide his pain and put his hands on Liu's shoulders. Just looking at him in the eye made Liu very confused, even more so when Zhou started to hobble away. Once Zhou had rounded the corner, a loud number of curses boomed following the blood trail from his foot. Zhou cursed in every language he knew, and some he didn't.

Mai remained seated as Zhou abruptly stood up and began to walk away. [i]Never underestimate a girl with spiky heels,[/i] she thought to herself. A few seconds later, the sound of Zhou shouting swear words reached her ears. Some of the assembled royalty was looking in Zhou's direction, while others were staring at her. Mai smiled sweetly. "He is fine," she reassured them, feeling a wry smile twitching at her lips even as she donned the sugary sweet one. Yes-Zhou would be fine, and he would hopefully stop acting like an idiot. Mai rearranged her skirts and waited for Zhou to return to his seat.

Zhou continued to loudly curse as he got further and further away, now mentioning Liu's mother. Hastily rushing out, Liu went to search for his master, who by the sound of it had knocked over something or someone. A loud slapping noise was heard soon after before Zhou soon arrived (half dragged really) by Liu. Now sporting a fashionable full foot bandage only seen when his pant leg flipped up. Sitting back down in his chair, he popped a pair of painkillers and just smiled as if nothing had happened.

"Thanks for the acupuncture [i]xiao mai mai[/i]." Zhou whispered as he waved a hand for a servant with a tray of drinks to come around, plucking a glass up and holding up to Mai, "Cheers."

[hider=summary] 
-Mai yells at Zhou for the dragon/fire breathing thing
-They banter for a bit before Zhou starts loudly proclaiming his love of food
-More back and forth before Zhou bumps into a servant by accident
-They finally get to the dining hall, where Mai uses her high heels to "stab" Zhou in hopes of getting him to behave [/hider]